Ineos Automotive

Part of 5. Topical Questions – in the Senedd at 3:04 pm on 8 July 2020.

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Photo of Ken Skates Ken Skates Labour 3:04, 8 July 2020

Can I thank Caroline Jones for her question? And just to assure Caroline Jones that the Grenadier project—as a result of the company, Ineos, signing an economic contract with Welsh Government—would have led to alternative propulsion systems being used, in all probability, first for a hybrid engine and thereafter a full electric or even a hydrogen system. The fact that it's now going to France means that there will be no economic contract in place, and so we do not know what the future of the Grenadier will be beyond the diesel engine.

I can assure the Member that we are putting immense energy and effort into securing the gigafactory on the Bro Tathan site, which could create 3,500 jobs, working with Britishvolt. In order to secure that, we need investment from UK Government through the automotive transformation fund. This is a point that I've impressed upon numerous Ministers in Westminster, and as a consequence of the Ineos decision, I would hope UK Government Ministers make a very firm pledge that we will receive the sums needed to deliver the gigafactory in south Wales.

The decision by Ineos truly did come out of the blue, because that site in France only went up for sale on Friday of last week. Everything—everything—we were doing with the company was leading to the successful manufacturing of the Grenadier within Bridgend, and that decision was taken over a matter of just days not to invest in Wales, and it is one that we deeply regret and we are incredibly disappointed at.